Toronto Raptors: The players who were opposite of fan favourites
By Go Paolo
Rafael Araujo
Raptors fans loved none of these scrubs and we won’t feel a little bit sorry for any of them. Except maybe for this guy.
As the first Brazilian nicknamed “Baby” to don a Raptors uniform, Araujo quickly found himself in a high-pressure situation when much-maligned general manager Rob Babcock (Rest in Peace) reached to take him eighth overall in the 2004 NBA Draft.
This was the same draft that still had Jameer Nelson, Al Jefferson, the Smiths, and NBA Finals MVP Andre Iguodala (taken one pick after Araujo)!
Heck, maybe if Babcock took Korean giant Ha-Seung Jin it would at least be funny as a spectacular dumpster fire. But with Araujo? Not only was this pick underwhelming, but his brief career with the team could be described as a quiet half-suppressed fart that still reeks of stale eggs.
Araujo played around 12 minutes a game as a rookie, wowing fans with his 3.3 points and 3.1 rebounds and inspiring athleticism (definitely the same kind that saw him shattering backboards in South America).
What’s amazing is how Araujo easily collected boos and jeers from the Toronto faithful despite the team already being crappy and him barely playing. If anything, we can thank “Hoffa” for getting Babcock fired (as rumours suggested).
In what could have been Colangelo’s best trade, he bribed the Jazz to take Araujo and got back future Mr. Kardashian, Kris Humphries, and Robert Whaley.